


Memory of a Smile

by SpiritsFlame



Series: Prophesies and Predictions Have Nothing On Us [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Harry Potter Crossover - Freeform, M/M, Patronus, boys are stupid, past Nico/Jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-13
Updated: 2013-12-13
Packaged: 2018-01-04 13:36:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiritsFlame/pseuds/SpiritsFlame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he's thirteen, Nico swears that he will never let anyone see the terrible shape his patronus takes- he's enough of an outsider already. Percy has other plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memory of a Smile

The first time Nico makes a fully formed patronus could, theoretically, have gone worse. Nico just can’t imagine how. 

It was something he had been looking forward to for awhile. He’d heard all of Percy’s stories, and he had thought that, maybe, when he saw his patronus, it would help him understand himself better. Everyone said that your patronus represented something in your soul. Certainly, Percy’s silver dolphin was a pretty good representation of Percy himself.

Nico should have known better.

One of the Ravenclaw girls had screamed when Nico’s patronus had materialized. The professor had sworn, which he hadn’t even done that time that Connor had turned the professors hat into a live bat. 

Nico had been thinking of playing in the snow with Bianca, of Percy’s broad smile, of nights spent in the library with his friends, studying in front of the fire. He thought of Percy leaning into side and Bianca resting her head in his lap, while Annabeth lectured all of them on proper study habits.

Then Susanna had screamed and Nico’s eyes had opened to see that- that thing. It had been skeletal and it looked like it was dead or dying. It had stretched bat-like wings and the other students had backed away from it. 

Nico had taken one look at their faces, fearful and drawn, and the happy memories had popped like a bubble. The thing- his patronus, had whickered silently and disappeared in wisps of silver smoke.

Nico spends the rest of the day in his room. He’s lucky, now, that none of his friends are in Hufflepuff with him. They would have forced their way in and he’s not ready to face them yet. None of his own housemates tried to approach him, but that was nothing new. 

He’s studied magical lore enough to know what his patronus was, even though he’d never seen on himself. A thestral. The symbol of death, second only to the Grim for animals that struck fear into the heart of a wizard. 

Bianca’s patronus had been a beautiful silver jackal, slim and energetic. It had frolicked around his feet and nuzzled into his hand. It had been so normal. 

Nico pulls his pillow over his head and resolves never to show his patronus to anyone.

\--

For two years, Nico manages to keep that promise, up until his fifth year at school. He had managed to convince everyone that he couldn’t make a fully corporeal patronus, and even though they all give him suspicious looks, they don’t press him. 

Percy is the most persistent about it, which shouldn’t surprise him. Percy seems to take it as a personal challenge that Nico can’t (won’t) produce anything more than silver vapor, and he’d taken it upon himself to try and tutor Nico.

It had been agonising. As a rule, Nico tried to avoid one-on-one time with Percy, especially after the other boy started to date Annabeth.

Th practices wax and wane, tapering off during Nico’s fourth year. Percy has better things to do than spend his free time with a boy two years his junior, preferring to spend the time kissing Annabeth in dark corners.

Nico had walked in on the two of them once, and he could never forget how Percy had looked, eyes dark in the dim light, shirtless and flushed. 

But he also couldn’t forget how Percy had had one hand up Annabeth’s shirt, the other buried deep in her blonde hair. 

In Nico’s fifth year, Percy and Annabeth break up and Percy tries to keep tutoring Nico again. Nico waves him off, but Percy presses and presses, and Nico could never say no to Percy for long.

Three months into the year, and still all Nico will show him is grey wisps of smoke, and Percy gets a permanent line between his brows during their practices. 

“I don’t get it,” Percy says, his silver dolphin skipping invisible waves and flitting around them both. It seems to like Nico, butting his shoulder playfully and ignoring when Nico tries to shoo it away. It’s a lot like Percy in that regard. “You’re one of the most powerful kids at this school, this should be child’s play for you.”

Nico flushes at the compliment and tries to pretend that he doesn't. Percy isn’t looking at him though, still staring off into the middle distance.

Then Percy’s snap back to him, direct and intense. “Maybe you’re not thinking of something happy enough. What are you thinking of?”

Nico bites his lip, because there’s no chance that he’s going to tell Percy the truth. “Just, small things. Hanging out with the group, that sort of thing.”

Percy frowns. “No, that’s not enough. Is there anything else?”

Nico scowls at him. “Well, what do you think of then?”

To his surprise, Percy flushes and won’t look at him. “Nothing. Getting my letter.”

He’s lying. Nico doesn’t know why, but Percy is definitely lying. After a moment, Percy says “Sometimes I think about my first kiss.”

“Annabeth?” Nico asks, and the word sticks in his throat. Percy nods. 

“Could you think about your first kiss?”

His first kiss wasn’t exactly patronus material. It wasn’t bad, per say, just weird. Jason had been the first person to kiss him, hesitant and shy. They had spent most of the last month of last year in what could, loosely, be called a relationship, until the summer breaks had separated them.

This year, Jason had been too busy with headboy duties to have any free time, and Nico hadn’t been as upset as he probably should be. Now he spends his own free time having these stupid tutoring sessions with Percy. 

Slowly, Nico shakes his head in answer to Percy’s question. Percy looks down at him, head cocked thoughtfully. “Have you not had a first kiss?”

Nico scowls at him. “Of course I have!”

Percy grins, but it looks a little forced. “Oh yeah? Who with?”

Nico clenches his jaw. “None of your business!”

“Aw, come on, Nico!” Percy pouts at him, but Nico refuses to give in. If Percy finds out, if Percy knows, Nico’s life will be over. He’d rather show Percy his patronus.

Nico just glares Percy’s begging face down, and after a moment Percy gives it up. It won’t last long, Nico knows, but he knows that, in this one instance, his will is stronger than Percy’s.

“Maybe I could,” Percy says thoughtfully, trailing off. He’s watching Nico again, a distant look in his green eyes. 

“Could what?” Nico asks, squirming under Percy’s intense gaze. 

Percy shakes his head. “Nothing, it’s nothing.” He let’s out a shaky breath and runs one hand through his hair. “Let’s call it a night. We’ve done enough for now.” Percy claps Nico on the shoulder. “Don’t worry though, we’ll get this soon.”

Nico doesn’t say “Yeah, right,” but it’s a close call.

\--

Percy is nothing is not determined, and their stupid practice sessions occur almost every other night. Nico is pretty sure that Percy never puts this much work into his own school work.

To his horror, Nico finds himself falling even more in love with the stupid idiot. He had always just termed it a crush in the past, but all this time with Percy is wrecking hell on his emotions. Sometimes, when Percy’s face is lit with a grin and the glow of his patronus, all Nico wants to do is kiss him, a wanting so strong it makes him dizzy.

Percy is acting weird himself though. Sometimes, in these sessions, Percy will get that distant expression on his face again, looking down at Nico in a way that gives Nico chills.

Even more weird, Percy doesn’t press for information about Nico’s first kiss. Nico had expected him to ask about it all the time in an attempt to break down Nico’s resolve, but Percy never mentions it again. 

Everything comes to a head over the Christmas holidays. Percy was staying at Hogwarts for one of the first times. Nico and Bianca always stayed, usually hanging out with Piper, Leo and Hazel. 

Percy has that stupid intense look on his face again. His expression s lit by Nico’s failed patronus, which shimmers in the air between them. 

“Maybe if- can I?” Percy steps forward before Nico can answer, stepping through the mist of Nico’s patronus. Nico has enough time to think “Wait, what?” before Percy’s mouth is on his.

Nico gasps, and he can feel Percy smile slightly against his lips. Then Percy has one hand on Nico’s waits, and he presses closer into the kiss. It’s careful and gentle and nothing like Nico had imagined from Percy.

Percy gently licks over Nico’s lower lip and when Nico’s mouth opens in surprise, Percy slips his tongue in. It’s, Merlin, it’s so hot. Nico feels his knees tremble and he can barely move, can’t even think.

Percy pulls back after a moment. “Is this not-”

“Shut up,” Nico replies, and tugs Percy back. Percy grins into his mouth, and this time when he kisses Nico, Nico kisses back. He bites at Percy’s lip gently when Percy tries to pull back, and Percy laughs. The sound makes Nico tremble and he grabs Percy behind the head and pulls him deeper into the kiss. 

Percy makes a startled noise then adjusts, kissing Nico fiercely.

Then, all of a sudden, he’s pulled back and Nico’s entire front feels cold.

“Try again,” Percy says. His face is flushed, his hair mussed from Nico’s hands.

“What?” Nico blinks at him, confused.

“Your patronus, try it. I’ll do it too.” Percy flourishes his wand and the flash of light from his patronus makes spots dance in front of Nico’s eyes.

Nico raises his wand, trying to think of a not-quite-happy-enough memory. He knows how those almost-memories feel, the sense imprint of a smile, the quite contentment, just enough to get smoke and no more. Except, this time, when the words are on the tip of his tongue, Percy reaches out and takes his hand.

The kiss flashes through his mind just as Nico says “Expecto patronum,” and his own wand flashes the same bright silver as Percy’s.

When the dazzle clears from his vision, Nico feels ice in his stomach as he sees the silver thestral from two years ago standing in front of him. It’s bat wings are as ugly as ever, it’s skeletal body frightening and wrong.

“Ha!” Percy says, pumping a fist. “I knew it!”

Nico feels cold all over. “Was this all to trick me into making a full patronus?” he asks, tugging his hand free from Percy’s.

His thestral tosses it’s silvery mane in concern, but doesn’t dissipate. Percy’s suddenly stricken face is lit by it’s glow.

“What? No! I just thought.” He swallows. “I hoped it would make you happy.” He turns his head to look at Nico’s patronus. “I can’t believe that’s your patronus.”

Nico looks away. “Well, congratulations, it did fucking worked. But if it was all a trick, I swear Jackson, I will-”

Percy ducks his head and interrupts Nico with a kiss. Nico’s mouth is still open from his speech, and Percy licks over his teeth, quick and hot. “Don’t you ever even think that,” Percy says hoarsely. “If you think, even for a second, that I would kiss you for any reason except that I wanted to-”

Percy breaks off, looking away. “I can’t believe you’d think that of me.”

Nico crosses his arms over his chest. “You’ve never shown any signs of-”

Percy laughs. “Are you blind? I’ve been wanting to do that for forever!”

Nico’s arms drop to his side in surprise. “What?”

Percy runs his hand through his hair again. “Yeah. Stupid, huh? I figured the only way to spend time with you was these sessions- you always wanted to avoid me. I thought you hated me.”

“Oh.” Nico tries to think of something else to say. “I don’t.”

Percy laughs, and it transforms his face. “Yeah.”

They stand there for a long moment, smiling at each other like idiots. Than Nico’s stupid, terrible patronus comes up and butts it’s head intangible head against Percy’s shoulder.

Percy turns to it with a smile. “So, this is your patronus.”

Nico feels his face go hot with a furious blush. “I hate it. It’s why-”

“Why?” Percy asks, and he’s not even looking at Nico. “It’s awesome!”

Nico is so startled that he takes a step back. “Awesome? It’s a symbol of death!”

Percy rolls his eyes and reaches out to pull Nico closer. “Haven’t you ever been to see the thestrals here at school?”

Nico shakes his head. 

“They’re amazing! I’ll have to take you with me next time. Man, flying on them- there’s nothing like it.”

“You hate flying.”

“Yeah, on a broom! It’s just a flimsy piece of wood supported only by someone else’s magic. No thank you! But thestrals are real, solid.”

“You can see them?”

Percy tsks. “Obviously.”

Nico thinks about asking how, but it’s too personal a question. He certainly doesn’t want to tell Percy about having to see his mother die, of the fire and the blood and- he cuts the thought off. It doesn’t matter.

“So, it doesn’t bother you?”

Percy turns to face him fully. “Duh, of course not. It’s part of you, isn’t it? That makes it amazing.”

Nico feels his stomach glow with warmth, and he thinks in that moment that he could make a hundred silver thestrals, and not care what anyone thought of them.

End

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my tumblr by the same name for other fun stuff!
> 
> I'm thinking about expanding this into a series, so I'll be talking about it there as well.


End file.
